Combination door stop and closer



June 11, 1957 KLEE 2,795,005

COMBINATION DOOR STOP AND CLOSER Filed Oct. 2, '1952 INVENTO dzsi z/ a 95 ee "mam/14 United States Patent COMBINATION DOOR STOP AND CLOSER Lester A. Klee, Hammond, Ind.

Application October 2, 1952, Serial No. 312,811

Claims. (CI. 16-78) This invention relates to a combination door stop and closer particularly adapted for storm doors, although it will be understood that the invention may be applied to other doors, if desired.

As is well known in the art, storm doors generally open outwardly and are frequenly broken or torn from their hinges by high velocity winds. Many devices have been proposed and marketedto prevent such damage; however, prior art devices have been unsatisfactory for reasons of high cost, inelfectiveness, and difiiculty of application.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to devise a door stop which is economical, easy to apply and capable of long and efficient life in service.

A further object of the invention is to devise a door stop which offers increasing resilient resistance to opening of the door and provides a final resilient stop at fully open position of the door.

Another object of the invention is to prevent the door stop spring means from drooping or hanging when the door is in closed position.

Still another object of the invention is to arrange the springs in such manner as to prevent damage thereto.

Yet another object of the invention is to utilize the spring means, not only to cushion impacts on the door stop, but also to positively bias the door to closed position, thereby providing a combination, door stop and closer.

A different object of the invention is to arrange the spring means to resist sagging of the door on its hinges.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective, general assembly view of a preferred embodiment of the novel device with the door in fully open position;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure l, with the door and device shown in phantom lines at partly open position; and

Figure 3 is a view comparable to Figure 2, with the door in fully closed position.

Describing the invention in detail and referring first to the general assembly View of Figure 1, a preferred embodiment of the novel device comprises a flexible but nonextensible door stop 4 attached, as by screws 5, to a door 6 and to a door frame 8 in which the door is hinged at 9 (Figure 3) in the usual manner on a substantially vertical axis, although it will be understood that the device may be applied to a door hinged on a horizontal or diagonal axis. The stop 4 is cushioned by one or more extension coil springs 10 connected to the stop 4 and to the door frame as hereinafter described in detail.

The stop 4 is preferably in the form of a chain as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, said chain comprising links 12 to which the springs 10 are connected by integral hooks 14 on said springs received within eyes or loops 15 of the links 12, so that the springs 10 and stop 4 are pivotally' interconnected for relative movement on axes which are Patented June 11, 1957 preferably approximately parallel to the hinge axis of the door.

The opposite ends of the springs are provided with hooks 16 similarly pivoted on substantially vertical axes within eyes 18 threaded into the door frame '8.

Thus it will be understood that when the'door 6 is urged from its fully closed position (to which the door is biased by springs 10) to a predetermined fully open position, dependent upon the distance of the screws 5 from the hinge 9, the springs cushion the impact of the door as the stop 4 reaches its final stop position shown at solid lines in Figure 2. This arrangement also prevents damage to the springs by positively limiting opening movement of the door. Furthermore, the pivotal axis of the door and the parallel pivotal axes of the springs with respect to the frame 8 and the stop 4 positively prevent damage to the stop and springs by preventing relative sliding therebetween lengthwise of the stop.

As best seen in Figure 3, one spring 10, as seen in that figure, is disposed in substantially straight-line relationship with a segment of the chain 4 which is attached to the door 6. Thus, when the door assumes its open position shown in Figure 2, the spring pivots slightly and maintains the chain in the form of a V with the chain segments at opposite sides of the spring defining an obtuse angle. This novel arrangement prevents impacts on the screws 5.

It may also be noted that the springs may be stretched without permanent distortion to the length shown at solid lines in Figure 2 when the door is fully open, the free length of said springs being less than one-third of their length in Figure 2.

Furthermore, the springs are preferably arranged to maintain the chain from drooping at any time.

Another feature of the invention is the fact that the hooks 14 of the springs may be inserted in any desired links 12 of the chain type stop member 4 as may be desired in adjusting or installing the device under various conditions. Also the spring hooks 14 and 16 may be readily removed from the eyes 15 and 18 to facilitate assembly of the device.

An unusually eifective device of this type has been put into service with springs which exert a pulling force of about two pounds on the chain 4 when the door is closed and exert a pulling force of about twenty-eight pounds on the chain in the position of Figure 2, from which position a static force of 220 pounds is necessary to straighten the chain 4.

I claim:

1. In a door stop and closer for a door hinged to a support, the combination of a flexible, non-extensible stop member of U-shape when the door is closed, the ends of said member being connected respectively to the door and support, an extension coil spring connected to the support and member for yieldingly resisting opening of the door from closed position, and another extension coil spring connected to the support and member for preventing drooping of said member when the door is in closed position, said member, when the door is in a predetermined open position, positively preventing further opening of the door, said coil springs extending substantially in parallelism with each other and being extensible on their longitudinal axes, said springs and said stop member being entirely disposed at the inside of said door at all times.

2. In a door stop for a door hinged on an axis to a support; the combination of a flexible chain having a segment anchored to the door and another segment anchored to the support, said segments being interconnected and defining an obtuse angle when the door is in open position, an extension coil spring having one end anchored to said segments, said spring being disposed in approximately straightline relationship with the first men exerts a continuously increasing cushioning resistance to opening of the door from its closed position to said open position thereof, said spring and chain being entirely disposed at the inside of the door, and said spring maintaining the chain under tension to prevent drooping thereof when the door is closed.

3. In a door step. for a door hinged on an axis to a door support; the combination of a flexible substantially non-extensible stop member, having interconnected segments anchored respectively to the door and support, said segments defining a V when the door is in open position, said spring being directly connected at opposite ends thereof to the stop member and support, respectively, and said spring being under tension with the door-anchored segment in substantially straight-line relationship therewith when the door is closed, said spring and stop member being entirely located at the inside of said door and said spring maintaining the stop member under tension to prevent drooping thereof when the door is closed.

4. A door stop according to claim 3 wherein the free length of the spring is less than one third of its length when the door is in the open position thereof.

5. In a door stop for a door hinged on a substantially vertical axis to a support; the combination of a flexible chain comprising a plurality of links having vertical openings, respectively, and pivotally interconnected to each other on substantially vertical axes, means operatively connecting one segment of said chain to said door and another segment of said chain to said support, and an extension coil spring having an axis in substantially straight-line relationship to the first mentioned segment and extensible on said axis, said spring having an integral hook on one end thereof removably received within a selected one of said link openings for pivotal connection to the chain on a substantially vertical axis, and an an- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,804,385 Ferrin May 5, 1931 2,295,496 Cameron Sept. 8, 1942' 2,495,881 Wilson Jan. 31, 1950 l-H-a 

